


beyond the fence and in the trees

by myday



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Angst, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Marriage Proposal, its just mostly fluff and cute couple things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-08
Updated: 2016-06-08
Packaged: 2018-07-13 02:24:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7134767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myday/pseuds/myday
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The clearing in the middle of the unsuspecting woods was Kihyun’s sanctuary. Although, he had to admit; sometimes it got lonely. More than once, he found himself wishing he had a friend to play in the rain and make up constellations with.</p>
            </blockquote>





	beyond the fence and in the trees

**Author's Note:**

> i came up with the idea for this fic when i was driving by a meadow surrounded by a big fence and a forest. it was a really pretty field of grass with a lake that reflects the sky and the sun sets right on the horizon. so why not throw changki in it?

Kihyun used to drive through a road flanked by an expanse of forest on both sides. Somewhere along the road, there was a left turn onto worn out pavement littered with patches of grass. The pavement stretched for no more than 10 yards before it was blocked off by a chain link fence and faded into a path of dark soil, leading deeper into the trees and shrubs.

Every once in awhile, Kihyun liked to pull over and park his rusty, hand-me-down car on the gravel near the metal fence. He’d climb the barricade and follow the dirt trail, clambering over logs, snapping twigs with his feet, and pushing past overgrown plants. Despite the obstacles, what waited for him at the end was worth the scratches and cuts on his limbs delivered by the thorns.

At the end of the path, there was an open meadow of tall grass surrounded by towering evergreens. It didn’t matter what weather or time of year; Kihyun enjoyed visiting the clearing to get away from his busy life in the city. In the spring, when it rained, he’d come with rain boots and a waterproof jacket to find comfort in the smell of pines and rain. In the summer and fall, he’d try to make time to watch the evening sunset and wind down. In the winter, when the stars were closer to the earth, he’d go out and stargaze.

The clearing in the middle of the unsuspecting woods was Kihyun’s sanctuary. Although, he had to admit; sometimes it got lonely. More than once, he found himself wishing he had a friend to play in the rain and make up constellations with.

\--

When he met Changkyun, Kihyun knew he wanted to take his new companion to the meadow.

And so, he did, on an afternoon in September. Their friendship was hardly a year old.

“I swear, hyung, I’m going to break something and die here,” Changkyun complained, carefully maneuvering his way under a fallen branch.

Kihyun was leading the way, knowing every single hurdle like the back of his hand.

“You’re going to be fine, Changkyun,” assured Kihyun, rolling his eyes with his back turned.

When they finally reached their destination, they were just in time for the autumn sunset. The sky was a mottled orange, pink, and blue streaked with gray clouds. Changkyun never again protested about the amount of tree trunks he had to climb over or how many bandaids he would have to use to cover the stinging cuts on his arms. From that point on, whenever Kihyun went to the meadow, Changkyun would follow.

\--

When Changkyun was chasing fallen leaves on an October day, Kihyun watched, a warm feeling spreading in his chest. The sunlight made Changkyun look almost angelic and his gleeful laughter permeated the air. Kihyun’s heart fluttered at the sight.

\--

One december night, they were lying side by side on a blanket in the middle of the clearing. Both Kihyun and Changkyun were wrapped up in coats.

“Look, all I’m saying is that the big dipper could be dead right now and we wouldn’t know,” Changkyun sighed. His breath swirled in the air.

“Changkyun-ah,” Kihyun groaned. “You’re ruining it for me. I _like_ the stars. Stop trying to kill the stars.”

“I’m not killing the stars. The stars are already dying.”

“ _Changkyun_ ,”

Kihyun sat up, shivering when another breeze passed by.

“Do you want to go home? It’s getting colder.” Changkyun asked.

Kihyun shook his head. “No, I want to stay a little longer. It's not even that late.”

It was true. The night came faster now that it was winter.

“Well, at least take this,” Changkyun began taking off his favorite red, knitted scarf to give to Kihyun.

“I don’t need it,” Kihyun objected. He leaned away from Changkyun to avoid the scarf. “Besides, won’t you be cold?”

“We could share it?”

Kihyun’s heart soared to his throat. “I, uh,”

Changkyun went ahead anyway, pulling him closer and wrapping the other end of the material loosely around Kihyun’s neck. It was warm on his skin from Changkyun’s body heat.

“Better?”

Kihyun swallowed and forced a smile. “Uh, yeah, thank you,”

He looked up and caught Changkyun staring fondly at him.

“What? Stop staring, creep,”

Changkyun’s smile faltered for a split second and Kihyun swore that he saw Changkyun’s cheeks and ears turn bright pink, but he brushed it off, thinking it was the cold.

“I...think you’re really cute,” whispered Changkyun.

They had been sitting so close together, and somehow had gradually leaned closer.

“Really?” Kihyun breathed. It was barely a whisper.

Their foreheads touched. Kihyun’s mind went into overdrive and suddenly, he felt like he doesn’t need the scarf anymore. Or the gloves on his hands. His hands sweat when he’s nervous.

“Hyung?”

“Yeah, Changkyun?”

“Can...Can I kiss you?”

Kihyun’s mind went from overdrive to numb. He could hear his own heartbeat.

He leaned in a little further, until their lips were centimeters away from brushing together, waiting for Changkyun to close the gap.

No more than a second later, he did.

\--

“But, it was sunny earlier!”

“I know, Kihyunie, I live under the same sky. But didn’t the weather app on your phone say it would rain today?”

“I never trust weather apps,”

It was early April. Three years into their relationship and Kihyun couldn’t be happier.

Changkyun was holding his jacket over his head, shielding himself from the heavy droplets of water falling onto the grassy earth. Despite the fact that they were standing underneath the largest tree around for shelter, they were still getting soaked.

Kihyun was holding a plastic umbrella with no intention of sharing it with his boyfriend. He looked at Changkyun with mocking pity.

“Maybe we should go home. This rain doesn’t look like it's going to stop any time soon.”

“No. Put away your umbrella.”

“ _What?_ ”

“Close it. Put it down.” Changkyun tugged his jacket on again, surrendering his hair to the pouring rain.

“But, I’m not wearing a jacket,” Kihyun tightened his grip on the umbrella. “I don’t want my clothes to get wet.”

“You get your clothes at your local supermarket,”

“That doesn’t mean I value them any less,”

“Kihyunie, _please_ ,” Changkyun gave him a pleading look.

Kihyun sighed. “Ok, fine,” He reluctantly closed his umbrella and set it down in the damp grass. “What do you want from me?”

Changkyun grabbed his hand and dragged him out to the middle of the clearing. Raindrops immediately left dark dots on their clothing. Kihyun was going to object again, but he was cut off when Changkyun pulled him closer by his waist.

“Wanna dance?”

“I’d rather be at home and have dry clothes,” Kihyun leaned his forehead against Changkyun’s, like he did on that December night, and rested his hands on his shoulders.

“Sure, you would,”

They stood like that for a while, listening to each other’s breathing and feeling each other’s presence, swaying back and forth ever so slightly. It was showering outside, but Kihyun eventually took no notice and focused all his attention on himself and Changkyun. He felt safe, being so close to another person, even if they were just standing there, doing nothing.

\--

It had been a hot summer. Kihyun watched Changkyun sprawl onto the grass, moping about how the hot weather was making him irritable all the time.

“Sit with me in the shade, then,” Kihyun responded, not looking up from his phone. He was immersed in a game he had recently downloaded.

“What’s the point of summer if you’re just going to hide from the sun?” Changkyun pointed out. “You should join me out here!”

“I’m busy,”

Changkyun walked over to Kihyun. “Please get off your phone, Kihyunie. I want to talk to you.”

Kihyun looks away from the screen in his hands, raising an eyebrow. “Is everything ok?”

“I’ve...wanted to talk to you...about something,” Changkyun wasn’t smiling anymore.

Kihyun’s stomach dropped. The game was forgotten. “What? Did I do something?”

Changkyun shook his head, alarmed. “No, of course not! It’s just that I’ve been thinking about our relationship, you know? It’s almost been four years and it’s been fun and all, but I don’t think this is what I want anymore.”

Blood rushed through Kihyun’s ears and his throat closed up. He choked out, “What...what are you saying?”

Changkyun was looking down at his shoes, hands in his pockets. “I, uh, I’m saying that--”

He stopped to take a breath before continuing. He didn’t even look Kihyun in the eyes.

“I don’t want to be with you, you know, as my boyfriend, anymore,”

If Kihyun was connected to a heart monitor at the time, the line would have gone flat.

“So,” Kihyun said slowly. “What do you want me to be? A friend? A stranger?”

“I want you to be my husband,”

Changkyun dropped to one knee, pulling a velvet, blue box out of his pocket. He opened it, exposing a silver ring.

“Marry me?”

Kihyun clapped a hand over his wide smile, newfound relief washing away his worry. He didn’t know if he wanted to laugh or scream or cry. All he could do was give an enthusiastic nod.

Changkyun broke out into a grin and got onto his feet. He slid the ring onto Kihyun’s finger before letting Kihyun pull him into a tight hug.

“And I was thinking,” Changkyun murmured. “Since you love this place so much, and I love you, we could have our wedding here.”

Kihyun could’ve cried.

\--

“Ready to go?”

Kihyun and Changkyun was supposed to meet their wedding planner again, being engaged for ten months.

“Actually, I need to tell you something first,” Changkyun was standing in the kitchen of their shared apartment.

“Sure,” Kihyun walked closer to him.

“Remember how I’ve always wanted a music career?”

“Yeah?”

“I actually auditioned for a company,” Changkyun said, tracing circles in the granite of the kitchen counter. “And, they liked me. They want me as a trainee.”

“So, what did you say?”

“I told them I’d do it.”

“Really? That’s great!” Kihyun exclaimed.

“And...it doesn’t really leave much room for a relationship,”

Kihyun’s happiness for Changkyun’s success was short-lived. It was quickly replaced by a feeling of dread.

“What?”

Changkyun paused for a few seconds, swallowing hard.

“I don’t think I can go through with this,”

Kihyun wanted someone to slap him out of this dream.

“What are you saying?”

“I can’t marry you.”

\--

The ring ended up bouncing off of Changkyun’s chest and falling to the hardwood floor.

\--

A year later, Kihyun turns on the TV in his apartment. The first thing that comes on is a live broadcast of Changkyun (or ‘I.M.’ as the public calls him) and his group on Mnet Countdown.

Kihyun hastily turns the TV off again, turns on his heels, and grabs his keys on the way out the door. He needs to get out of here.

He hasn’t been to the meadow for quite some time. Not since he and Changkyun ended it. But today, he decides he should to go back. It’s not supposed to be the place he was going to be married in. It’s supposed to be his sanctuary.

Kihyun drives down the familiar road, and as he approaches the path to the meadow, his heart breaks again. Because now, the fence was gone. And so were the trees. Everything was replaced by rugged tree stumps, overturned soil, and a private property sign.

**Author's Note:**

> btw, the forest that surrounded the real meadow ended up being chopped down to make houses and that is when i decided to write a fic. i hope you enjoyed.


End file.
